The country aims to create a resource pool of 50 crore skilled workers by 2022, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Raji Pratap Rudy said here today.
The biggest challenge in attaining the goal is a dearth of trainers and poor infrastructure, he said here while launching Sandesh One, a platform for women social entrepreneurs.
It will train women entrepreneurs and help them set up microenterprises offering technologies and solutions at the grassroots level.
The Union Minister said that despite the increase in the size of the labour force, only two per cent have undergone any skills training.
The target in the 12th five-year plan was to train five crore workers by 2016 and an additional 45 crore between 2017 and 2022.
Only 1.6 crore people underwent skills training since 2011 primarily because of a lack of good trainers and inadequate training infrastructure.
Women-centred project Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on the occasion that pioneering women-centred initiatives ranging from Kudumbashree to She Taxi have brought Kerala laurels both nationally and internationally. Sandesh One promises to join the ranks of these life-changing programmes.
The government intends to create Sandesh One centres in over 1,000 local bodies of the State, managed by women trained under an IIM-Ahmedabad certification programme with a curriculum custom developed by IL&FS Skills.
Kerala Minister for Panchayats and Social Justice MK Muneer said that the quality technology interventions proposed through Sandesh One will help raise the quality of life.
Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD, National Skill Development Corporation, noted that among the BRICS countries, India has the lowest women workforce participation.
First phase In partnering with projects like Sandesh One and Additional Skill Acquisition Programme and institutions such as the Kerala Academy of Skill Excellence, the corporation aimed to empowering women and youth.
Sandesh One centres will promote environment-friendly projects, products and solutions to reach the grassroots level. In the first phase, the project will be launched in Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.
“More than ten unique and innovative projects capable of transforming the society have been proposed in the first phase of the project,” said PTM Sunish, Managing Director, Kerala State Womens Development Corporation.
Sandesh One will offer selected women a six-month long residential training programme focused on developing and improving entrepreneurial skills and knowledge management.